Really struggling with workflow and creating drawings

[damiennn_w]

Hi, I've posted here a few times and so far been given great advice and help, so I'm back again because I'm really having trouble on some of my projects that contain quite a lot of parts, relative to what I've done in the past. I've taken on some work to do design and fabrication drawings for projects at work, and I thought by now I'd have been faster at drawing and at least have been able to improve my workflow. But the problems I'm having is when I'm creating the drawings, I put everything into sub assemblies and try to dimension one specific part, for instance, a single leg with a cap on top, there are 10 caps in different places in the model and 14 legs, creating a drawing for each leg is tedious due to having to turn on or off all of the other components and then try to find the correct cap to show in that drawing. And I need each sheet to contain at least half of the legs to cut down on the amount of sheets we have to print, so that in itself means placing 5 separate base drawings onto the sheet and finding the components in each, it takes so long. Is this the way it should be done or is the reason it takes so long and is so annoying that I'm just doing it wrong? 

Thanks in advance

[jhackney1972]

Can you share the model so the Forum users can see your structure and then maybe suggest the best method of creating dimensional drawings? 

If you do not know how to attach your Fusion 360 model follow these easy steps. Open the model in Fusion 360, select the File menu, then Export and save as a F3D or F3Z file to your hard drive. Then use the Attachments section, of a forum post, to attach it.

[damiennn_w]

I would love to since it would be easier for me to explain, but I'm not really supposed to as the design is owned by the company I work for. It's more in general anyway, every time I build something with a lot of parts in fusion I have this same issue, I try to make it in a way that shows the correct quantities in the tables and that separates the components in a way that I can find them easily, but in the drawing space it really slows me down, if I could find a way to show 5 components on the same sheet and have the quantities and descriptions in one table it would be a start. I can't do it right now as it always shows them in the position they are in the model, which is no good for dimensioning or re-arranging to show the critical parts of the model, so I have to drop 5 different base views onto the sheet first and then go through the lists in each to show only the part i'm wanting to dimension. I've been trying to learn and get faster for over a year now but I just find it so discouraging when it takes me hours to do something that should take half an hour. Is creating all of the legs in one sub assembly, all of the horizontal sections in another and all the other parts in other sub assemblies the right way to do it? Or should all components just be made in the models assembly. I tried it that way but the amount of components made it hard to navigate through the model.

[jhackney1972]

It is extremely hard to answer your questions without seeing the assembly.  What what you describe, you may be best to create a tabulated drawing.  These work well if the components are similar in shape but different common dimensions.  This is just a guess as I said without see the assembly.  Your structure, as described, does sound correct.  You mentioned orientation, this can be controlled with named views but again hard to say without some since of the actual assembly.

[damiennn_w]

I will see what other models I have that are mine, those I can post, as I use the same method on all of them, the thing that I really struggle with is knowing how to structure the model, I always paste new with componants because some need holes or notches and I  don't want it to modify both parts, but they are the same length, then that part shows up in the table with the same name but with a number in brackets next to it which can get confusing. I would love for the model in the drawing space to have all the components broken apart, instead of in the models orientation, that way I could move seperate parts to where I need them and take projected views from anywhere, I know that doesn't exist but it's how my mind tries to do it. Also, is there a way to switch a part from 'paste new' to 'paste', after the part has been made? I always have to delete and re-do the copy if I did the wrong one earlier in the design and it can throw everything out of whack. Sorry my posts are so long, I 'm just feeling pressure to do the drawings faster and I can't seem to find a way to do that. 

[jhackney1972]

I do not know of a process to change a Copy/Paste New to a Copy/Paste but I do for the opposite process.  I normally model when I have duplicate components where I think they are not unique using Copy/Paste.  If I find one later on that needs to be change to Paste/New or Unique, I use the process outlined in the video. 

It would be really helpful for you to post a model showing your structure if you could. 

[damiennn_w]

Thank you! Yes that does help, that trick alone should help me to clean up the tables in the drawings, I'm going to try that on the model I've been having issues with. I really appreciate the help. I'll try to add a model for you to take a look at and see if there is anything I'm doing wrong, I know that my history tree is massive just down to the fact I haven't got the skills yet to streamline the creation of the parts, hopefully I'll get there though. 

[damiennn_w]

So I found a model I did recently, will be nice to get you're opinion on how badly I've drawn this 😀.

[jhackney1972]

It will take awhile to look at your model but I will try and get back to you as soon as possible.

I would like to bring something to your attention in the meantime. When responding to a post from someone, do not use the "Post Reply" icon as this will address your post to yourself. Instead use the "Reply" icon on the post you are responding to address your post to that person. Look back at the messages in this post and you will see what I mean.

[damiennn_w]

Yes sorry, I meant to reply to you, it's 2.15am here so I'm tired, and yeah there is no rush, take your time, I'm thankful for any help I can get so whenever is good for you. Thank you.

[Drewpan]

Hi,

I am a relatively new engineer and I too struggle sometimes with working out my workflows. I try to work my designs

as if I am working as part of a team. I split each assembly and sub-assembly up as if that is the one I am responsible

for in the team and I have to work with others designing the other parts. Even though I end up doing all of these parts

and assemblies, I concentrate on one section at a time. If I need to modify something later then that is ok, I wind back

the timeline and fix it when I can or treat it like we had a team meeting and agreed on changes. It is all about the

mindset.

By working in this way it helps to organise my design into much more logical assemblies and parts. I also look at the

tutorials in the self paced learning and the AutoDesk YouTube channel because that allows me to see how other people

go about doing things. I learn new tricks that way but I can also see what works and what does not. Some things work

great for me but others I leave alone.

Check out RULE #0, #1 and #2 that are pinned to the top of the forum, they may also help you work things out.

Cheers

Andrew

[jhackney1972]

I do not see any particular issues that pop out from your submitted design.  Many designers use the same method of a master sketch, skeletal design, to create their components from.  It is a good way to organize your components and keep them in their correct locations.  The only thing in the model I may do differently is I would probably use the Pipe command to create a lot of the square tubing but to each his own on the method.  You do not show any joinery in your tubing so this gives you larger components to place in your drawings.  I will agree with you, the drawings will be complex and using some named views may help you clean up your task.

You will refine your methods as you progress so the job will get easier.  Good luck in your Fusion endeavors.

[davebYYPCU]

I reviewed your example file.  Work in progress?
Is the output required - include a BOM?

You should really investigate, patterns.  
You need a count of uprights, horizontal, spreaders and plates, etc?

Create one of each individual part.  Assemble the duplicates
I didn’t see if you actually cut the front frame into it’s pieces.  Mitred corners?

Why is there only one hollow tube? .The rest is solid bar.

Top left spreader, your 2 extrudes or one line (not drawn) for a Pipe,

.

I make no comment to the Drawing Environment processes.

Might help…..

[damiennn_w]

Thanks for your input, I'll try that and see if it helps 👍

[damiennn_w]

I feel a bit more at ease now that I'm at least on the right track after reading your reply, I was kinda expecting a lot to be wrong with my methods, mainly because I seem to take a long time to get to the finished result, I was sure I was doing most of it wrong, so thank you for taking a look at it for me. I still have a lot to learn, especailly in the creation of drawings, hopefully I can get more efficient as time goes on though, thanks again. 

[damiennn_w]

Yeah it's a model I made for a project for my self, it's not finished yet as it's missing bars in the doors, hinges and some other things too, so I didn't put too much work into it as it was mainly so I could see what it looked like to check dimensions etc, I posted it just to really get an opinion on the method I used to build the sub-assemblies and such. When I create models for work I make components of each part, add descriptions, copy paste everything so the quantities are right in the tables etc, I just wasn't able to post one of those as they aren't mine to share. 

Had it been for work, I'd have used the pipe command on all of the frame, and used split face or cut it with pipe to create the seperate components, I just always felt that it was taking so long to do all that. The other designers where I work use autocad and can draw things ten times faster than I can so I'm feeling a bit under pressure to speed up, but they supply one sheet to build the whole project whereas I try to supply multiple sheets containing each dimensioned and ballooned component/assembly. I just don't know if that is how it should be done or if I am in fact doing too much, I've been told that by one of the other designers at the company, and having no real idea of what other draftsmen do I wanted to check. 

And thank you for taking a look at the model I posted